OUR VOTER PROTECTION EFFORTS

Since 2024, the Oklahoma Democratic Party has launched a comprehensive Voter Protection Program.

The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. Protecting and expanding access to the ballot is essential to ensuring that every eligible Oklahoman can make their voice heard and have their vote counted.

The Oklahoma Democratic Party's Voter Protection Program is a year-round initiative dedicated to safeguarding voting rights, expanding voter access, and helping voters successfully navigate the electoral process. Through education, organizing, advocacy, and monitoring of election administration, the program works to ensure that eligible voters can cast a ballot free from intimidation, unnecessary barriers, or confusion.

The program develops and implements proactive voter protection strategies designed to identify and address obstacles to participation before they impact voters. This includes educating voters about election laws, voting procedures, registration requirements, and changes to election policies, while building a statewide network of trained volunteers and community partners committed to protecting access to the ballot.

The Voter Protection Program recruits, trains, and mobilizes volunteers to serve as poll observers, hotline volunteers, voter assistance team members, and election-day support personnel. During primary, general, municipal, and special elections, the program coordinates voter assistance efforts, including voter hotlines and election monitoring programs, to help voters resolve issues and ensure concerns are addressed quickly and effectively.

In addition to election-day operations, the program works year-round to identify voting accessibility challenges, monitor emerging threats to voter participation, and advocate for practical solutions that strengthen confidence in the electoral process. The program serves as a resource for voters, volunteers, campaigns, community organizations, and stakeholders seeking information and support related to voting rights and election administration.

By building strong relationships with local communities, election officials, advocacy organizations, and legal partners, the Oklahoma Democratic Party's Voter Protection Program seeks to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate fully in our democracy and that every lawful vote is counted.

Core Program Areas

Voter education and outreach
Election law and policy monitoring
Poll observer recruitment and training
Election-day voter assistance and troubleshooting
Voter protection hotline operations
Accessibility and disability voting advocacy
Volunteer leadership development
Community partnerships and coalition building
Monitoring and responding to voter suppression, intimidation, and disenfranchisement efforts
Post-election reporting and program improvement

Mission: To protect the freedom to vote by ensuring that every eligible Oklahoma voter can access the ballot, receive accurate information, and have their vote counted.

Our Voter Protection Hotline: 833-336-8683

VOTER PROTECTION REPORT | VOTER PURGE

The following analysis is sourced from the Oklahoma voter file, which was most recently updated on May 17, 2026. The previous voter file analysis was conducted on the file from May 3, 2026. In this new update, we see a change of:

New Voters: 14,103
Shift from inactive to active: 3,393
New removed voters: 7,348
New inactive voters: 0

The most recent file has a removal rate of 0.32%. Usually, we treat rates above 2.5% as a red flag to investigate for a systematic purge. The state's overall inactive rate is 17.14%

Voter Purge by County

Fortunately, we do not see significant levels of removal within the state. The most recent file has a removal rate of 0.32% (we typically look for rates of 2.5% of higher to indicate a 'purge').

This holds on the County level as well. All counties remain below this threshold, with Coal County topping the list at 0.62% removal, with only 23 removed voters.

Demographics of Purged Voters

VOTER PROTECTION REPORT | INACTIVE VOTERS

In the graphs, red indicates the percentage of inactive voters within each bucket, while grey indicates the percentage of registered voters. The graph on the left shows race, while the one on the right shows age.

Like with removal, voters above the age of 65 overindexed for inactive status. This is normal and to be expected.

White voters also slightly over-index for inactive status when compared to Voters of Color. This is statistically significant. Potentially, the state could allow white voters to stay inactive longer than Voters of Color, though we do not know for sure.

To determine statistical significance, we conducted a Monte Carlo simulation and a logistic regression (based on the results of the Monte Carlo simulation). More information about our statistical methods is available upon request.

Top Inactive Counties

The above table is sorted by county inactive rate.

This analysis is the same as for the previous file:

The top 12 counties have inactive rates noticeably higher than the state average of 17.14%. Of note, Comanche County tops the chart at 23.63% inactive. Comanche County is one of the Oklahoma Democratic Party's target counties for the 2026 election.

However, after reviewing each county, these inactivity rates are not alarming. They follow the same pattern as older and Republican voters, with overindexing and higher rates of inactivity, consistent with historical trends.

Historic Inactive Voter Trends 2012-2026

The graph above shows the breakdown of voter status over time.

The current registered inactive rate is in line with the rates in the last few files. However, historically, we see that after a few files with this high a percentage of inactive voters, the state removed voters in a large batch. Therefore, we can expect a large number of voters to be removed sometime this year or early next year.

STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Continue to fund an aggressive voter registration program targeting Comanche, Oklahoma, Tulsa, and Cleveland Counties.
Fund list maintenance within the Democratic Party's Data Department
- Create a temporary full-time Voter Protection Director position for the general election aimed at monitoring polling place designations, early vote awareness, absentee ballot re-enrollment, and support ticket monitoring.
The State Democratic Party can assist Democratic Campaign Committees by launching and funding aggressive Inactive/Purged Voter Reactivation Programs. Including paid phones, canvassing, and GOTV efforts during the General Election.
Target the following voters with this program:
- Removed this year
- Registered Democrat
- Not deceased, not moved
- Phone on file
This (as of June 2026) would result in 6,648 Democrat voters.

2026

OUR VOTER PROTECTION VICTORIES

See the success you are helping us build through this program and how we are building towards victories in the general election. The Oklahoma Democratic Party is the only entity focused on voter registration, protection, and engagement 24/7/365.

LAUNCHED TARGETED VOTER REGISTRATION

Sent over 13k voter registration forms in November 2025 to potential voters in targeted state legislative districts.

REVERSING A STATEWIDE TREND

May 2026 - For the first time in 15 years, Democrats in Oklahoma showed statewide growth over Republicans.

LAUNCHED OUR HOTLINE

Voters, Campaign Committees, and Community Organizations all have access and can promote the use of the Voter Protection Hotline.

ABSENTEE BALLOT CHASE

For the Primary Election, the Oklahoma Democratic Party contacted over 6,000 Democratic absentee voters. The return rate is now over 57%.

POLLING PLACE VERIFICATION

The State Party monitors and updates any changes at the county level to polling locations and notifies voters of these changes.

LAUNCHED FIND MY BALLOT TOOL

Oklahoma Democratic Party launched our own ballot look up research tool to make it easier for voters to identify and research what's on their ballot.